Th!nk City electric car

Th!nk City electric carThe Th!nk City is an electric car from the Scandinavian company Th!nk or Think. They have been developing electric cars for over 17 years and their aim is to change the way people think about electric cars. Carefree, carbon-free mobility is the way they state it. The cars are made in the most efficient small assemlby plant in Europe and was developed with the help of Porsche Consulting.

The Th!nk City is a 100% electric car that meets all the safety standards throughout Europe and North American. No driving around in something that feels about as safe as a scooter. The Th!nk City is a zero local emmissions car with an engine that is about three times more efficient than a traditional combustion engine. With the latter, most of the energy is wasted and only around 20% is actually used. The highly efficient electric engine has a city driving range of about 200 kilometres and can be charged overnight. And let’s not forget just how silent electric cars are when running.

See the full Th!nk product range at the Th!nk website.

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Tesla Motors Roadster

Tesla RoadsterIf you are like a lot of the population, then the other versions of fuel efficient cars including both hybrid and electric, suck in the styling department. The Tesla Motors electric car is looking to change that. As you can see from the picture this is an out and out sportscar that doesn’t come with the penalty of sucking traditional fuels faster than you can think how much it costs.

The Tesla is powered by an electric motor that generates about 185kw of power and is delivered in a constant manner from 0-6000 rpm and tops the rev counter at a whopping 13000 rpm. This means it leaves the line at a contantly increasing speed rather than the traditional method of requiring time to speed up then hitting a peak and not increasing any more. The downside with this (if you can call it that) is there is no need for constant gear changes to keep the engine at the optimum revs. So it only has a two speed manual gear box and no clutch. Just reach for the gear lever and change it. Not as much fun if you ask me.

Top speed is around 125 miles per hour and the range is 220 miles which is much more than most other electric vehicles. Chraging from a fully dead battery takes around 3.5 hours and can be done from most electrical outlet. If you want to go all the way then why not install solar panels at home to change the car. Many owners are opting for this too. Don’t worry either, you are constantly kept up to date as to the charge left so you won’t be stranded.

The batteries are lithion ion which is not considered a hazardous waste and are good for around 100 000 miles. Efforts are being made to work out a recycling program for these as well.

More information and pricing at the Tesla Motors website.

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Toyota Prius Hybrid Car

Toyota Prius HybridEveryone has probably heard of the hybrid petrol/electric powered Toyota Prius as it has been around since around 2000. A unique marketing plan (whether by accident or not) has contributed to its popularity. Once celebrities started arriving at awards shows and other paparazzi laden venues in them the sales rose. It became the must have eco-friendly purchase.

A quiet electric engine provides the low power and the gas engine kicks in during the acceleration phase. A very simple explanation without getting too technical. Once owners work out how to drive efficiently and utilise the electric engine as much as possible then the mileage per gallon rises. In addition to using less fossil fuels the polution produced is less than the best diesel cars. For example, 95% less carcinogens are released into the atmosphere.

Granted, the price isn’t all that attractive and the look of the car is an acquired taste but it is difficult to argue with the eco-friendliness of the car.

All the information at the Toyota Prius website.

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